Reel to Reel: Janis Ian: Breaking Silence

The GRAMMY Museum is thrilled to have a special screening of the documentary Janis Ian: Breaking Silence with an intimate conversation featuring 10x GRAMMY Award-nominated artist Janis Ian and Emmy Award-winning Director Varda Bar-Kar about the making of the film in the Museum’s intimate 200-seat Clive Davis Theater.

“Before Billie Eilish, broke many ‘youngest ever’ records, before Chappell Roan became a queer icon, before Carole King brought Semitic sex appeal to the stage, before Taylor Swift’s spiteful Taylor’s Versions, before Phoebe Bridgers gave voice to mental health issues, before Kathleen Hana shouted about women’s issues and Tracy Chapman about race issues, there was Janis Ian.” ~Spin

Janis Ian had one of the most remarkable debuts in modern music history. At the age of 13, she began performing her original songs at New York City gigs alongside future legends. From there, the precocious teenager turned fearless singer-songwriter built a career with many chapters–winning Grammys while navigating personal and professional highs and lows–in a remarkable trajectory now entering its fifth decade. Ian’s emotionally transporting songbook and turbulent life story make compelling echoes for the generation of American women who came of age in the 1960s and 1970s, discovering and voicing their power. – Jaie Laplante (Doc NYC)

Janis Ian is 10-time GRAMMY nominee (two-time winner) whose songs and performances have resonated with a diverse group of fans for more than six decades. She is one of just a handful of artists who have received nominations in eight completely different categories. Raised by activist Jewish parents on a New Jersey farm, she currently lives in Florida with her partner and wife of 36 years.

Ian received her first GRAMMY nomination in 1967 for “Best Folk Album” with Janis Ian, featuring “Society’s Child.” She took home her first GRAMMY in 1975 for “Best Pop Vocal Performance, Female – At Seventeen,” and her next for “Best Spoken Word Album – Society’s Child: My Autobiography” in 2013. Her 2023 GRAMMY nomination for “Best Folk Album,” The Light at the End of the Line, brought her full circle.

She is also making appearances to support the theatrical release of a documentary about her life and work. Janis Ian: Breaking Silence is helmed by award-winning director/producer Varda Bar- Kar, best known for Big Voice (Netflix, PBS) and Fandango at the Wall (Max). The film made its broadcast premiere on PBS’ famed American Masters in June 2025 , features interviews with friends including Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Lily Tomlin, Jean Smart, Laurie Metcalf, and others.

ABOUT VARDA BAR-KAR

Varda Bar-Kar, Emmy Award-winning director, explores the human condition through uplifting stories, including Big Voice (Netflix, 2015), Fandango at the Wall (HBO/MAX, 2020), Artbound: The Cheech (PBS SoCal, 2024) and Janis Ian: Breaking Silence (Greenwich Entertainment, American Masters Pictures, 2025). Her work has earned multiple awards and nominations. She is a member of the Directors Guild of America and the Television Academy.

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Member Check – In: 6:30pm

Nonmember Check – In / Doors: 7:00pm

Show Time: 7:30pm

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BAG POLICY: please note that only bags 9 inches x 6 inches and smaller will be allowed for this event. Vinyl, memorabilia, gifts, etc. will also not be allowed inside the building.   

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